Sometimes it’s easier not to rock the boat if everything is floating along. But the question is, are you truly living the life you want to be?

It's time to eliminate the guilt that we've not eaten an organic kale salad, done our daily run, made the house look perfect and been an amazing mum everyday since the 1st January!

At this time of year you might, like me, get a little cynical about all the messages you receive from the personal development world advising you on New Year’s resolutions, goals or making this ‘Your Best Year Yet!’ Read on to really make a difference this year

The New Year is always a time of new beginnings, a time for a change, and a time for setting new goals - you can jump on board with us this January to get hints and tips on kicking off the new year with a new career!

To start we suggest you make a few career-related New Year's resolutions and commit yourself to achieving them in the next 12 months - the three p's of your success will be positioning, persistence and personality. Read on to get ahead of game with your job search.

Are you a Merry Martyr?

As Christmas approaches it’s the season we’re meant to be being happy, joyous and fun – it’s ‘Merry Christmas’ after all. But for many of us it can lead to more stress and overwhelm. I hear from so many women that get exhausted and sick at this time of year.

It’s kind of ironic that Father Christmas is male, as the Christmas magic tends to be generated by us women. Research indicates that the additional workload that Christmas brings mainly fall to the woman in a household - if you're struggling to cope this Christmas read on

Coping with Christmas and the Importance of Making Time for You…

What is it about expectations from others in the run up to Christmas?

I don’t know about you, but the 25th is still a few days away and yet the deadlines are looming, the client requests are mounting and my workload feels like a giant mountain that is ever growing.

And when it comes to the festive season, let’s face it, most of the time - the present buying, the wrapping and the food preparation mainly falls to us mums. Hats off to you if you have a partner who is a dab hand in the kitchen, (thankfully I have one of these) as this helps lighten the load. Read more

Are you surviving the pressure of being a working mum?

Let’s cut to the chase, being a working parent isn’t easy, whether you’re a mum or a dad, you feel added pressure as you find yourself working two jobs. Your first is your career, your second is your new job, the one without a job description, without training and far too commonly without support, being a parent. Let’s start by saying that no parent is perfect and there’s no single definition of what a “good mum” is read more

Take control of your finances: How to stay on top

Many of us want to get better at managing our money, but once we’re confronted with bank statements and budgeting it can be difficult to know where to start. Whether you want to start saving for something special or have a few pounds to spare to avoid going into your overdraft, this breakdown can help you better understand your money and how to stay on top of your finances. Read more

How to Join in and Get the Most from Twitter Chat Hours

What on earth is a twitter chat?

We'd recommend that you get to grips with your twitter account before jumping into your first twitter chat. Ask yourself a few questions, is your Twitter profile up to date, have you created brand awareness by including your company logo, have you linked to your website?

A Twitter chat is a group of people coming together on Twitter for about an hour each week to have a conversation that revolves around a pre-determined hashtag. As long as people include the hashtag in their tweet, they’re part of the conversation. It’s a great way to meet lots of like-minded people, as well as receive and give advice. Read more

We accept that our work commute is one of the most boring parts of our days, but it doesn’t have to be! Check out these ten ways to improve your journey, shake things up a bit and never suffer through a dull morning drive again. Read more

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Maternity Allowance Advice

First off, CONGRATULATIONS, if you're reading this you're probably about to become a new parent, the most important job you'll ever do. Now starts the minefield of arranging maternity pay and leave. We've gathered hints and tips here so that you don't have to spend hours trawling the internet for your maternity rights. Read more

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These are the Signs You're Not Ready to Take Your Business Global

From expanding on trading opportunities and the ability to access cheaper imports, to optimising a bigger customer base, there are many reasons why you might consider taking your business global. But, establishing a subsidiary in locations such as America, China or Canada (or anywhere else in the world for that matter) is no mean feat. Here are some signs that you may not be as ready as you think you are…

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How to deal with work-related stress

Feeling stressed at work is by no means uncommon. In fact, according to Health and Safety Executive statistics, over half a million UK workers reported suffering from workplace stress in 2016/17. While workload was seen as the main cause of stress, other reasons cited included a lack of support, changes at work, or bullying at work. Read More →

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Being a working mum can bring different types of stress to those who don’t have children, as you not only have to think about work challenges, but also manage to look after your brood and run your household at the same time.

Would you like to welcome in the New Year with a New Job?

Start the new you here. Gone are the days of watching the clock. It's now time to think about you and what you can do!

Throughout January we'll be showcasing the amazing selection of flexible jobs and recruiters that are currently looking for mums just like you to join them in the agile working revolution. These jobs may well be home based, may be part-time, may even involve running your own business, but we guarantee that they won't be boring! Read More →

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Motivational Tips for Working from Home

Working from home was once a dream for many employees. Today, it’s a reality for around four million UK workers. If you have kids or a short attention span, however, working from home is not always easy.

Many home workers are self-employed and around 16% of the UK population is self-employed. An increasing number are working from home remotely because their employers allow flexible working.

There are many perks to working from home, including flexible hours, being able to work in your PJs, and not having to deal with a daily commute. Staying motivated is perhaps the hardest aspect of working from home, whether you write racy novels for a living or spend your days dabbling in forex on the IG trading platform, so to help you keep your brain on the task at hand, here are some useful tips.

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Equality in the Office: Closing the Gender Gap

It’s no secret that Britain has one of the worst records in the developed world regarding gender equality at work. In fact, in a study conducted in 2016, Britain came 11th out of 18 countries in a league table that took things like pay and the board level representation between male and female employment. And, the gender pay gap for full-time employees is currently 9.4%, which means that the average pay for full-time female employees is 9.4% lower than for full-time male employees. As you can see, we’re far from achieving gender equality in the workplace. But can we close the gap? We think so! Read on

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The Benefits of Starting a Working Parents’ Collective

As anyone trying to do it knows, being a working parent is tough. You are constantly being pulled in different directions, trying to satisfy completely different people and very different objectives. But most working parents would also agree that the struggle is very much worth it. Being able to have both children and a career can be the best of both worlds. It’s just about having the necessary arrangements in place to make things manageable. Read more

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How to improve morale within the workplace

If you want your business to be a success, you have to make sure that your staff are happy, which is why it’s essential to improve morale within the workplace. A happy workforce means that you have less chance of a high staff turnover rate and that your place of work will be known as a friendly place to work and more people will want to do business with you or come and work for you.

The better staff morale is, the more productive a team will be, and that’s better for the boss, the workforce and their clients. Read More →

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Flexible Working: what’s changing for contractors?

Contracting and Freelancing is becoming an increasingly popular option for mothers across the UK. Research by IPSE (Association of Independent Professionals and Self-Employed) shows that the number of mothers working as freelancers between 2008 to 2016 increased by 79%. This means that there’s more mumpreneurs than ever recorded before.

As a contractor, you are essentially your own boss. This means that you could determine the location of your work, the working hours, the daily rate and a handful of other factors. Contracting can allow for a flexible work/family life balance, as you can opt for flexi time, shift working, part-time or even home working. Read More →

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A Business Full of Confidence for Inspired Mums

Growing up for children and teens today is complex, challenging and pressured. The amount of stresses and demands put on them are often extreme. Nearly all children under 12 years old suffer from a lack of confidence and resilience skills at some point and confidence in teens is also at an all-time low.

If you are a parent you’ll no doubt have seen the ups and downs of life for kids today and turbulence it can bring. We live in a full on inter-connected, 24/7 society with the demands of technology, gadgets, gizmos, peer pressure, influence of the media and parental expectations all contributing to the mix. Then we have Social Media making life even more pressured and kids trying to fit in and keep up.

Would you like to make a difference in the lives of Kids and young people by coaching them to become more Self-Confident and resourceful? Would you like to feel richly rewarded for what you do and earn a good living doing it? Are you looking for a new career or life change yourself? Read More →

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Is It Always Best To Be 'Pushed In The Deep End' In A New Job?

When you get thrown in the deep end, you either sink or swim. But is this something you want to happen when you’re starting a new job? For many of us, probably not!

If you sink, your career will be over before it’s really had a chance to begin. It’s a stressful thing to happen, and can knock tremendous holes in your confidence if you fail at something you were looing forward to. However, if you manage to cope with the stress and ‘swim’, you’ll make a good impression, reap the rewards far quicker and see your career take off with a flying start. Read More →

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How to manage finances with a young family

Finding the money to cope with a young family with newborns, babies, toddlers, and pre-schoolers is sometimes difficult. Family may help, but at some point you’re going to have to stand on your own two feet – just like your offspring. Here’s several things to consider when your family starts to expand.

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From PTA Mums to a Thriving Business – The IQ Cards Success Story

The time and hassle needs to be taken out of school fundraising - this first became clear to me during my time as an active member of the PTA at my son’s school. Too often were teachers pushed for time and money, with the quickest and cheapest fundraising ideas having to suffice, with more exciting methods resigned to ‘maybe one day’. IQ Cards was ther only solution

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You Can Improve Your Spending Habits and Manage Your Money Whilst Waiting to Land that Much Needed Job

Whist job seeking we all know that funds can be tight until you land that ideal position. Finding yourself out of pocket is nothing to be ashamed of (it can happen to anyone, regardless of how sensible they are with their finances), there are things you can do to improve your spending habits. Here are some helpful tips for managing your money…

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How to spend more time doing the things you love

“My favourite things in life don’t cost any money. It’s really clear that the most precious resource we all have is time.” Steve Jobs

With working days becoming ever longer, the constraints of modern life are placing more and more strains on our free time. The last thing you want to do when you come home for work is boring housework!

You should enjoy the spare time you do have, do the things you love, whether that be spending time with family and friends or indulging in a bit of relaxation. That’s why we created Time For You, the UK’s premier domestic cleaning service.

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How To Deal With Anxiety In The Workplace

Anxiety disorders are a common part of life for many people across the country. The website Anxiety UK reports that one in six adults were found, in one study, to have experienced some form of neurotic health issue in the week leading up to the survey. Commonly, these issues were anxiety or depression.

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Maintaining Your Home With a Busy Work Schedule

A clean and tidy home is the one thing guaranteed to help us feel calm and among the chaos of every day life. However, it’s precisely the chaos that prevents us from keeping our living space in tip top condition, isn’t it? If cleaning the house falls to the bottom of your list of priorities (and don’t worry, we’ve all been there), here are some top tips for maintaining your home with a busy work schedule…

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mumandworking team member raises money for charity - in her bra!

mumandworking team member Nicki Armstrong is ecstatic this morning after walking 15.3 miles as part of the Moonwalk London 2016 and has raised over £500 for Breast Cancer Research.

Nicki did hit a wall and think that at the last minute she wouldn't be able to take part. As a sufferer of many allergies terms and conditions meant that she was unable to walk alone, due to health and safety risks. Husband John saved the day and doned his very own bra to support and join her!

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How to Become Your Own Boss - 5 Steps to Starting your own Business

The prospect of starting your own business whilst juggling family and children can, for the most part, seem incredibly daunting. It all seems even more unreachable with a never ending to do list, constant school runs, work commitments, and that’s not even considering time to relax. So it’s no wonder that mothers all over the place are starting their own business which fits around their schedules. The whole concept can seem foreign but you can become your own CEO just by following these few simple steps.

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Owning your own Childcare Business

Written by Philippa Day, working mum who runs her own successful childcare business, Harmony at Home Berkshire.

Creating your own business can be tough, especially during the early start-up phase.

Philippa decided to purchase the Berkshire Division of the International Nanny Agency Harmony at home in 2014—and she hasn’t looked back since! After recovering her initial investment within four months, Philippa now has a turnover that exceeds all expectations.Read More →

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The Finances Behind Owning And Running A Nursery

Written by Naomi Webb

Naomi is currently training to become a primary school teacher, but in the meantime she is writing insightful and varied content for both parents & teachers!

The UK’s nursery sector is booming, and if you love children and wish to turn your passion into a business you may well consider this sector as a viable option. Government funding also exists to encourage entrepreneurs to set up new nurseries to meet an ever-increasing need. Read More →

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Mums set up FREE lucky day lottery.....

Written by Sarah and Alison, two working mums in the north of England who have set up an exciting FREE lottery website that we would love to tell you about!

The FREE LUCKY DAY LOTTERY is a 100% free lottery that gives out Amazon vouchers every Monday and Friday. Really simple to join, you just register your email and a lucky day (any date you choose – a birthday, an anniversary, a special date in your life or a totally random date) and this goes into a draw twice a week. If your lucky day is randomly selected, it is posted on our website along with a claim code. Just email us the claim code from your registered email address and we send you Amazon vouchers! It really is that simple! Read More →

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Working Mum's Guide To Tax

Written by the team at Tax Rebate Services

If you happen to be one of the thousands of mums juggling work and family life, then you need to be aware of the tax reliefs you are entitled to claim.

You can weave working life around your manic ‘mum’ schedule and explore options you never considered possible until now. Whether you’re a franchisee for an established company like Avon, freelancer, beauty therapist, hairdresser or online trader, there’s a route for you to go down at Tax Rebate Services.

HMRC cannot automatically refund your money without your declaration, so be sure to give them a heads up and submit an official claim today! Read More →

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Job Sharing – a better way to work

Working mums, it can be a grind can’t it? Trying to juggle your career, your kids AND still find time for yourself? If only there was a few more hours in the day.

Of course there are ways to squeeze everything in: You could pile extra hours into 3 or 4 working days to get an extra day off. You could work irregular hours and try to slot the school run, meals and other chores around it. It might even be a case of taking a part-time role and potentially missing out on career progression. Read More →

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Combining Caring and Breadwinning

Written by Louise Webster, mum of 2 and Founder of Beyondtheschoolrun.com

There is an opportunity for us all as parents to re-shape the working world forever, whether you are working independently or as part of an organization. By choosing to work in a new way, a way that isn’t all or nothing but recognizes the combination of caring and breadwinning we can truly start to shape a great society.